---
title: "Steps to improve IT project quality"
subject: "ICT Project Management"
chapter: 10
key: "semester_7/ict_project_management:improve-it-project-quality"
source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_7/ict_project_management/improve-it-project-quality
site: BCT Engineering
---

# Steps to improve IT project quality

ICT Project Management · Chapter 10: Project quality management

- Asked in: year not given
- Video: [Project Quality Management Overview | PMBOK Video Course](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7YJ-_OJIZQ) — David McLachlan
- Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) on 2026-10-14
- Page: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_7/ict_project_management/improve-it-project-quality
- Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_7/ict_project_management/chapter-10

## Question

What are the possible steps to improve quality of an IT project?

## Short answer

Steps: define quality requirements, secure management commitment, adopt standards, plan quality, use iterative methods, conduct reviews and rigorous testing, manage configuration, analyze defect root causes, manage risks, apply continuous improvement (PDCA), involve users, and provide training.

## Answer

Improving quality in an IT project requires planning and discipline across the whole life cycle. Possible steps are as follows.

1. **Understand and document quality requirements** clearly: functional, performance, security, usability and compliance needs; agree on acceptance criteria.
2. **Establish leadership and top management commitment**: quality is a management responsibility.
3. **Define and follow standards and processes**: coding standards, design guidelines, documentation templates, ISO 9001, CMMI, ISO/IEC 25010.
4. **Plan quality**: prepare a quality management plan, metrics and checklists.
5. **Use appropriate development methodology**: iterative or agile approaches to get early feedback.
6. **Improve the work environment**: reasonable schedules and workloads, tools, training and motivation of staff (quality of people).
7. **Reviews and inspections**: requirement, design and code reviews, walkthroughs find defects early when cheaper to correct.
8. **Rigorous testing**: unit, integration, system, regression and acceptance testing with test automation; test early and continuously.
9. **Configuration management and version control** to manage change and avoid errors.
10. **Defect tracking and root-cause analysis**: Pareto and fishbone diagrams; fix causes, not only symptoms.
11. **Risk management** of technology and requirement risks.
12. **Continuous improvement** (Kaizen, PDCA), lessons learned.
13. **Involve users** and get feedback regularly.
14. **Training and skills development** for the team.
15. **Use metrics** such as defect density, defect removal efficiency and customer satisfaction.
16. **Quality audits** and maturity models.

```text
Plan -> Do -> Check -> Act  (PDCA cycle)
```

| Step area | Example action |
|---|---|
| People | Training, realistic workload |
| Process | CMMI standards, code reviews |
| Product | Automated testing, security tests |
| Feedback | User acceptance, defect analysis |

**Example:** A software team adds peer code review and automated regression testing, which cut post-release defects by half.

## Check yourself

The answer's key points as multiple-choice questions, with the correct option and why.

1. Why are requirement, design and code reviews used to improve quality?
   A. They remove the need for testing
   B. They find defects early when they are cheaper to correct
   C. They speed up coding
   D. They only satisfy audit paperwork
   Answer: B. Defects found early cost far less to fix than those found late. (Key point: Early reviews)

2. What is the aim of defect tracking with root-cause analysis (Pareto, fishbone)?
   A. Fix the causes, not only the symptoms
   B. Fix only the most visible symptoms
   C. Blame the responsible developer
   D. Reduce the number of tests run
   Answer: A. Removing root causes prevents the same defects from recurring. (Key point: Root-cause analysis)

3. Why does using an iterative or agile approach help quality?
   A. It removes the need for requirements
   B. It avoids all testing
   C. It gives early feedback from users
   D. It delays delivery to the end
   Answer: C. Iterations deliver working increments and early feedback so problems are corrected sooner. (Key point: Agile methodology)

## Related in ICT Project Management

- [Project quality](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fict_project_management%3Aproject-quality) — ICT Project Management, chapter 10
- [Project quality requirements](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fict_project_management%3Aproject-quality-requirements) — ICT Project Management, chapter 10
- [Quality planning](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fict_project_management%3Aquality-planning) — ICT Project Management, chapter 10
- [Quality control process](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fict_project_management%3Aquality-control-process) — ICT Project Management, chapter 10
- [Total quality management](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fict_project_management%3Atqm) — ICT Project Management, chapter 10
- [Quality versus productivity](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fict_project_management%3Aquality-vs-productivity) — ICT Project Management, chapter 10

## Related in other subjects

- [Quality; QA vs QC; site engineer steps](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fproject_engineering%3Aquality-qa-qc-site-engineer-steps) — Project Engineering, chapter 4
- [Short note: Project quality control](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fproject_engineering%3Aquality-control-techniques-note) — Project Engineering, chapter 4, asked 2×
- [Steps to build a hydro project and sell to NEA](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_8%2Fpower_plant_design%3Ahydro-project-steps-nea) — Power Plant Design, chapter 3, asked 4×
- [Project control and control cycle steps](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fproject_engineering%3Aproject-control-cycle-steps) — Project Engineering, chapter 4, asked 3×